Case: Unsolved
by Xzer04X
Summary: A sudden conversation that ended with Chi-chan asking a question not even Houtarou could answer -Love. Gosh I now realize how much I suck at summaries!


It was just another day in Kamiyama Highschool.

If I could make a comment, this day is probably one of the peaceful days in the history of the school. The hours were passing by smoothly that soon enough, after school activities commenced as the relaxing music of the light music club spreads throughout the empty classrooms and hallways, the whistles blowing from the courtyard and the sounds of mindless chattering by the students as they take their respective leaves together. Really, it was just another simple day. So simple that it made me think to myself for a moment that nothing could ruin these last few hours after school no matter what.

But of course, that was just another wishful thinking on my part.

Although this day started out fine, I doubt the last few hours would be the same. Why? Because I now stand here in front of the geology room of the special studies block. It was just another unused room in the building where we reestablished our club, the classics club that until now, we have no idea as to what it is about. Still standing in front of the said room, I repeatedly asked myself if I'm prepared for what is in store for me at the other side of this door— the continuous talks and jokes of the human database Fukube Satoshi, the frank and competitive Ibara Mayaka, and the embodiment of curiosity itself, our club's one and only president Chitanda Eru. Add them all up would equal to the end of my energy saving days.

As an energy saving student with a grey colored life, I, Oreki Houtarou, would obviously choose to ignore what is now in front of me and just go home. But knowing everyone, especially Mayaka, they will definitely get back at me later for not showing up. So in order to prevent such an ordeal befall me, sacrifices must be made…

In this case, my precious energy…

"Sorry I'm late." I said as I slid the door open and was greeted by my two female co-members talking silently with each other as if exchanging secrets. Since when did these two became so close with one another? Seeing Mayaka's sour expression at the sight of me, I get the feeling I'm not welcome here at all.

Ditto my old friend, even I don't like being here.

And contrary to her expression, Chitanda happily welcomed me, "Good afternoon, Oreki-san!" she said as she extends to me a cup loaded with candy and urged me to take one. To which I did, "Thanks."

Unwrapping the candy, I then looked around the room feeling like something, or rather someone is missing, "Where's Satoshi?"

"Who cares about that idiot!" Mayaka immediately shots back to me in anger, "Forget about him! He should go die in a hole!"

I could olnly pray for Satoshi's well being after this…

"Fukube-san is in a meeting with the student council. He already said in advance he won't come today." Chitanda answered with an anxious smile as she glances back at her angry friend. Whatever happens to them I'll never know. But that doesn't mean that I want to. I don't want to die, more so, finding out about it would just be a waste of energy. I then took a seat at the farthest corner of the table, taking another candy as I glance at the now quiet Chitanda. She had a thoughtful expression on her face. Chitanda couldn't look more worried. Well, calming Mayaka down is like stopping rain from falling, there was nothing she could do about it.

She then faced Mayaka and quietly asked, "Um, Mayaka-san, is Fukube-san aware of your feelings for him?" she asked out of the blue that made me almost choke on my own candy. Really, once she's curious, there's no stopping her is there?

Mayaka stared her incredilously as if asking herself how did she know that. Then in a flash, she knew the answer. I could tell when she shot me a menacing glare, clearly blaming me. Well, I guess I don't have a say this time, she is correct. I just raised my hand followed by a light bow of my head in apology to her.

"O-oh," The long haired ojou-sama said, gasping at the atmosphere brought about by her question, "I, I'm sorry, Mayaka-san! I suddenly blurted it out! I should have known that these kinds of matters were a secret!" She immediately bowed to her sincerely like how a delicate girl of a fine household would be that immediately set Mayaka to become anxious as she lift both her hands to calm her, "I, it's fine Chi-chan!" she said, sweat dropping. To be honest, I'm enjoying Mayaka's reactions that only Chitanda could make her show, "It's not like I was keeping this a secret in the first place... It's just that Fuku-chan just keeps evading me..." she said flashing a grin at her.

And with a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness!" Chitanda said before continuing her query, "Then Mayaka-san, can I ask what is it about Fukube-san you like?"

Come to think of it, I was wondering the exact same thing. How did a hard headed and workaholic girl like her like a guy that's her polar opposite. Using the quote of "Opposites Attract" is not even enough of a reason for this whole new mystery. Though I have been wondering about this, I dare not cross the line of asking, so making a very curious girl like Chitanda ask her such a question is like killing two birds with one stone... Chitanda not bothering me and Mayaka answering a mystery question instead...

Stuttering, Mayaka briefly answered her, "his wild pursue of knowledge..."

Both Chitanda and I couldn't help but let out a "Huh?" simultaneously at her answer as she stares down, her face burning red as she continues, "O-of course that's one of the many things I... I... -I-it's not like I like him that much or anything!" She suddenly blurt out at the very last minute, like how a typical tsundere should be.

"I still don't get it..." Chitanda muttered to herself, looking down and musing to herself... And finally looks up, her eyes showing their usual glow whenever her curiosity was piqued, "I'm really curious about it!" I couldn't help but be anxious at her sudden burst of curiosity over the matter. I didn't know her standards of interest could even include something as small as this. Therefore, even if it was obvious, I decided to ask her, "About what?"

Hearing my question, she then turned to me, her purple eyes shining now more than ever, "About how to like someone!" at the corner of my eye, I notice Mayaka let out a small yet overly relieved sigh before continuing, "Why are you curious about it, Chi-chan?" she asked, seeming interested also with her curiosity.

"But think about it," She starts, "Isn't it a bit odd that people fall for the most unexpected people? How Did they come to feel such a thing towards them? Why is it that it was that certain person out of everyone? That's why i'm really curious about it!" She said putting her hands elegantly at her chest as she thinks further on the question and mutters, "It really is... very mysterious...

"To start off, what do you think about love Mayaka-san?" the long haired ojou-sama asked the short haired lady to which she immediately answered her in an unsure kind of tone, "Love is a deep feeling for someone...?" She makes her answer sound like a question instead of a statement. But seeing as she was asked, I can already guess what she'll do next the moment she turned to me, "What about you, Oreki-san?"

"There's no point in asking a guy like Oreki who's much too busy conserving energy about matters like these." Mayaka said frankly, smirking darkly at my direction. I remained passive at her insult since she is correct about it. Things like that are just a waste of energy for someone like me, besides those kinds of things exists only for those with rose colored lives. It's outside of the realm of my grey colored world. So I only nodded at her in agreement...

"Then how about you, Chi-chan?"

"I don't know." was her simple reply, "I've never experienced such a thing."

Now it was Mayaka's turn to be overly surprised, and to be honest, so am I. How could an almost perfect person like her who is great at studies, kind and a beautiful young girl of a known house not have such an experience? It was almost close to impossible in my opinion. But deep inside, I couldn't help but feel relieved at her answer...

And I don't even know exactly why...

"That's impossible Chi-chan!" Mayaka exclaimed as she stands up from her seat and approached her, "There must be someone? Anyone?"

Are you expecting her to have such a lively love life? Your skepticism borders on normal now. And contrary from her friend's doubtful declaration about her private life, Chitanda only smiled back at her with a shrug, "I've never actually though of it until now..." she answered honestly, "That's mainly the reason why I'm very curious about it..."

Well, that is reasonable...

She then turned to me with a bright yet apologetic smile, "Won't you help me with another one of my questionings, Oreki-san?"

...

..

.

Before leaving, Mayaka said that she'll go and see how the missing member, Satoshi, in the student council first to make sure his reasoning of not attending is true or not, so that left me going home alone with Chitanda, who was still thinking silently to herself about today's conversation. In the end we never really gave a enough of an answer to her question for she was now thinking much harder than ever. It me ask myself, is this matter about love that interesting? Seeing her like this was enough to make me sigh to myself, she said she needed my help but in the first place, I have no idea what to even help her about...

Love is love, it can never be explained. It would take a whole lot more than just an hour of talking about that kind stuff to make a person as oblivious as this girl understand. Especially since I have absolutely no experience in such things. But I have to admit, I was kinda glad that I wasn't the only one inexperienced in that kind of feelings. More so that she had never even thought about such a thing just as I am. I'm beginning to think that Chitanda and I are more alike than I thought. Thinking this, I couldn't help but look away from her...

Seriously, what is up with me?

And as these thoughts cloud over my head, "No matter how much I think about it, I never seem to get the conclusion nor the reason behind it..." Chitanda muttered to herself, looking more troubled now more than ever as she turns to me, "Why is it so, Oreki-san?"

"_Why_ is it...?" I repeated to her with a sigh, "Of course it would." I replied her simply, not even I can answer such a question. But seeing her anxious face staring up at me...

I couldn't find the words of protest that I am currently needing right now.

Sigh, seriously, why does this girl get me all the time?

It's one of the mysteries I'm afraid I'll never know...

As we walk toward the setting sun, I glanced at her unchanging expression and once again, sighed before telling her my honest opinion...

"You can't possibly answer that question just by thinking about it." I told her matter of factly, "unless you feel that way toward someone else, you'll never be able to understand it, even just a little bit."

As I was saying this, I notice the person occupying the spot beside me as I walk was left standing, seeming as if in a trance. It is then that I realize that I seemed to have answered one of her questions. That's good, mystery was solved without me having to do anything that could waste my energy. I stopped and called out to her, "Hey, you coming?"

And seeing as she doesn't answer back left me with no other option but to go back and snap her out from her reverie, "Chitanda?" I asked her to which she immediately respond me with a question, "You mean, Oreki-san, that if I fall in love with someone, I will know more about it?"

Her question got me a bit disturbed as we continue to walk. I could only reply her with a slow nod of my head, "Y-yeah." I'm beginning to think that she'll go through the lengths of even forcing herself to fall in love with someone just for the sake of answering her question. That would spell trouble. So as to not make her do such a ridiculous thing to herself, I added, "From what I believe, people tend to fall for the person closest to them..."

"Closest?" Chitanda repeated as she silently looks down, musing about my last statement. That was a right thing to say right? Of course I can't take back what I said but if I counter my words with something more believable, she'll surely believe the more believable one...

Wait, why am I even panicking about this? Why did I bother to tell her something like _"people tend to fall for the person closest to them"_? Why should I care whether she forces to love someone?

I feel like I'm being overly absorbed in her affairs...

I feel like I'm being way too awkward here. Needing some time to myself, I then noticed that we were already at the intersection where were to part. I don't know if I should be happy or not, but I know I'm definitely relieved...

I then turned to her, "Well then," I started, "see you tomorrow." I told her, but she was still too absorbed in her thoughts to even hear me. Seriously, this girl is just too dedicated in her own questions, no wonder she's the embodiment of curiosity. I smiled at her one last time before patting her head gently and advising her, "Don't think too hard on something so small..."

She then looked up to me with eyes that seem to be back to their normal selves. It seems like my action worked. Turning around, I was about to bid her farewell one last time when she spoke in a whisper to me. Hearing this, I couldn't help but turn to her with an odd expression on my face. Seeing my awkward reaction, Chitanda smiled at me and said in an elegant tone of voice, "It's nothing." and turned to the other direction, her face still turned to me as she continues, "Well then, thank you for the company and take care on your way home, Oreki-san." before walking off.

Staring at her one last time, I then slowly turn away and walked back. The sun had already set, and yet I could still feel the warmth it brings to my face as I recall her silent words...

_"If I were to fall for Oreki-san, will I be able to find out what love is?"_

* * *

This is my new attempt at making a story in Hyouka! So please bear with me if this story sucks! xDD

I just wanted to say that this is one of my favorite pairings because of how cute and innocent the characters are! they're just so cute and fluffy and cute and.. (okay, I know I'm repeating myself, I'm sorry!) Anyway, I hope you guys like it and please tell me what you think about it!

Till next time then!


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